Practice Managers can be a real asset to any Veterinary Practice as they can bring with them many skills and abilities to run the operational side of the business. I am sure that in many Veterinary Practices up and down the country there are Veterinary Surgeons who are also the Practice Manager. This may be through choice or through neccessity to run the Veterinary Practice as a Sole Trader, Limited Company or Partnership.  However as the business grows and develops a Practice Manager will certainly be a requirement.

How do I know when I need a Practice Manager?

You know you need a Practice Manager when the Admin starts to pile up,the employees keep asking you lots of questions about working conditions and pay, in between consultations,the phone keeps ringing and you are inundated with sales reps trying to sell your practice more equipment. Then when the day is done, as the Veterinary surgeon who has taken on the role of Practice Manager, you have to sit down and complete figures and do general paper work. Let alone conduct the Practice meetings and deal with the mumbles and grumbles.

It is time for a practice Manager but who can do the Job?

The person you require to do the role of Practice Manager should be chosen carefully. A Practice Manager should be the type of person who can work well under pressure but deliver results by making savings to the business and keeping the team happy.

The key to the Practice Manager being successful in their role is for the Partners or Directors of the Practice to delegate the admin and operations side of the business to the Manager. In some cases I know from experience that this is difficult for some Veterinary Surgeons to do.

In reality a Practice Manager is a cost to the business but in equal terms whilst a Veterinary Surgeon is conducting Management tasks; the income to the Practice can suffer. A good Practice Manager will generate income to the practice and monitor business operations and finance.

I need a Practice Manager but not full time.

In this instance it may be a good idea to hire an interim Practice Manager who can shoulder some of the Management tasks for you. As the business grows it may become a permanent job role for somebody. Many businesses are outsourcing work to fill gaps in their workforce which can be a cost effective method.

You can also find many books on Management and Practice Management for Veterinary Practices on line and in bookshops.

Michael Coe

Interim Practice Manager @ dimension88